Edzna Ruins

After a breakfast-in-a-bag (scrambled eggs in a plastic bag cooked in boiling water) we took 3 other caravaners with us to see the Edzna pyramids. Two more car loads joined us. We had a great guide. These are Mayan ruins from 300 - 1500 AD. Of the 25 square kilometers of ruins found, only about 25% have been excavated. The others are under jungle growth.

The largest pyramid in this area was built over a 500 year period. Every 100 years, the Mayans would add a layer or tier making the pyramid to grow taller and wider. The rooms around the pyramid were used for rituals and sacred ceremonies and some were sleeping quarters for the priests. The structures at the very top helped to show the passage of time with the sun shining thru various parts. We climbed to the top of the largest pyramid. Going up was easy, coming down was scary. They had an extensive system of ditches & canals to channel the collecting of rain water.  

Edzna was connect to other Mayan cities throughout the Yucatan and from Guatemala to Chiapas with raised roads called sacbes. The Mayan calendar was explained to us. Their year was divided into 19 months -- 18 had 20 days and one had 5 days for 365 days. We also learned how to read the numbers written in Mayan hieroglyphs but it is pretty complicated.